The Foreign Empress

Four Observations & Four Questions

The first thing I notice when I wake up is pain. Everywhere. My muscles are in agony like they've been roasted over a fire. Even turning my head to the side hurts. The second thing I notice is that I'm naked. I don't sleep naked. I grit my teeth and roll out of bed, internally screaming the whole time. My eyes lock onto a robe just a few steps away. On my excruciating journey over, I limp by a tall bronze mirror. This leads me to my third observation, I'm bruised. My neck, wrists, and hip have ugly dark marks over them. How? What? I can't remember anything, my fourth observation.

I stand in front of the mirror, lightly poking at the dark marks around my neck. It's not too severe but the second my fingers touch the discolored skin lightning shoots down my spine. As I'm inspecting myself in the mirror, Xiaoyue comes in. Her demeanor towards me has changed significantly as of late. Where she was once scared, terrified even, she's now confident, the two of us have grown as close as sisters. So, when she sees the state I'm in, she simply collapses at the doorway, sobbing. As much as my mind cries out in pain at seeing Xiaoyue crying, my body is too tired and broken to respond.

"Xiaoyue, help me put on a robe, please." Tears still streaming down, Xiaoyue helps me into a robe. Her cries have attracted some of the other palace staff who run over to see what the problem is. While the robe covers the bruises on my wrists and hips, nothing can cover the grossly discolored marks around my neck. All the servants who see me gasp. A few faint. I don't know it yet, but the word will be out by noon.

An accent heavy with the throaty tones of Parthian sends the staff scattering back to their posts. Fatima, somewhat belatedly, appears in the doorway. She gasps, shock and horror filling her eyes. Yet something about her reaction feels different. I can't seem to put my finger on it. In Latin, a hint to Fatima, I ask, "What happened last night?"

Despite replying in Latin, she keeps her voice low, "His Highness consummated the marriage with Your Highness, roughly. Your Highness's cries were reportedly audible from outside; they were so loud to the point a passing patrol rushed in thinking Your Highness was in danger."

Nothing. My mind remains blank. Why can't I remember anything? Maybe the Eighth Prince remembers! Switching to Chinese, I ask, "Where is the Eighth Prince?"

"His Highness departed this morning." What? From Fatima's description of last night's events, the Eighth Prince is some sort of barbarian. But what type of barbarian just leaves his property after touching her once?

"Where did he go?"

"His Highness's destination is none of your concern." A new voice floats down the hallway from behind Fatima. A figure covered head to toe in night emerges from broad daylight. With but a few utterly silent strides, the apparition has brushed past Fatima to stand right beside me. The hilt of a sword peaks out between the folds of the person's robes.

My instincts scream at me to run, but my body has turned into a statue. Drawing in a calming breath, I muster as much courage and regal-ness as possible and demand, "Who dares bear a sword in the presence of a princess of Han?"

A short, bitter laugh. "I am Quan Linwen, ViceCommandant of the Heizhenzu, granddaughter of Quan Kou, the man you killed. Iam also the woman responsible for your protection."